Army or Army Reserves?

[DogCollar]

My son is strongly considering joining the Army or Army Reserves after high school graduation.  He is particularly interested in medical services training. 
Does anyone have any cogent advice I can pass onto him as he considers?

[Cecil DP]

Have your son visit the unit he's thinking of joining. By seeing what they do and speaking to members of the unit, he can get a first hand picture of exactly what the unit is like and the person viewpoints of the soldiers actually doing the job he's interested in. If there is a military hospital in the vicinity, he can ask the same questions of his counterparts there also. Both these options can be arranges through the recruiters or by calling the 1SG of the affected unit.

[AirAux]

Is there any reason he might not be considering the National Guard??  It might broaden his possibilities..

[Fuzzy]

Or the Air Force... 

[Ford73Diesel]

If he is planning on completing/ attending college while doing his service, reserve or NG would be the way to go. If he is thinking of making the Army a career, then AD would be the way to go.

I know if I had it to do over, I would have gone AD right out of HS.

He should look at other branches as well.

Mark Harding
USCGR

[C-150]

I am not sure where you live, but for the most part the National Guard has a better educational opportunity. The fed and state both contribute money for a college ed. As far as medical I personally think the Air Force is the way to go. The Army Reserve has a large medical unit here, but the Air Guard about 80 miles away has one as well and they are involved in aeromed evac in real world missions. Probably a better career op.

[Stonewall]

My son is strongly considering joining the Army or Army Reserves after high school graduation.  He is particularly interested in medical services training. 

Does anyone have any cogent advice I can pass onto him as he considers?

With the economy and job market, I would highly suggest active duty.  He'll get better college benefits and a good 4 to 6 years of solid experience on top of quality training.

I served on active duty and the guard in the Army and I got A LOT more out of active duty as far as experience and training than possible out of the Guard (or Reserves).

[DogCollar]

Thanks all!  Lot of things to consider!

As I write this he is taking his ASVAB test.  We will see how it all shakes out.

[ColonelJack]

Well, I too was going to recommend the Air Force, but I see several have beaten me to it.

Air Force ...

Jack

[Stonewall]

Air Force recruiting has slowed way down.  They truly are picking and choosing these days.  For the most part, most career fields are maxed out.  Even in the Air Guard the positions are limited.  A  year ago you could get a $20K bonus for enlisting into Security Forces in the Guard.  Today, you can't even get in because they're over strength.

Again, the economy and job market.  Military is the best place to be.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Good replies all.

Your son has several options to consider:

Active Army, Navy, Air Force - Can get medical training, and the Navy also handles medix for the Marines and sometimes the Coast Guard.

Marines - Open to correction, but I think they get all their medix from the Navy, so no medical training there.

Coast Guard - They get their medix from the U.S. Public Health Service and/or the Navy.

Reserve components don't really recruit people per se like the active duty; it's almost like hiring someone depending on what positions they have available at a given unit.  It would depend on if there is a medical-related slot at a particular unit.

The Army and Air Guard operate much the same as other Reserve components, except that depending on the state, there may be additional benefits available in addition to MGIB, SGLI, etc.  They also have slightly different ways of pursuing a commission or warrant (if your son is interested in being an officer), except, of course, there aren't any warrant officers in the Air Force.

I agree with Ford73Diesel that reserve component is the way to go if he wants to attend college while serving.

Important consideration: the Guard and Reserve components are being used so much that it's almost like being on active duty, depending on AFSC, MOS, etc.

Ford can correct me on this, but I think that all the USCG's Port Security units are in the USCGR.  I also think that the CG has kind of an abbreviated/condensed version of their Basic Training called REBI for reservists.

Of course, I could be completely wrong.

[PA Guy]

About the Coast Guard......

The Coast Guard has their own enlisted medics known as Health Services Technicians.  They attend the HS school at Petaluma, CA.  At this time the waiting list is about 18 mos.  The Coast Guard gets their docs, dentists and pharmacists from the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.  I have never seen Navy medical personnel in a CG clinic.

The REBI program was for prior service personnel that joined the Coast Guard Reserve.  It has been replaced by a program called DEPOT which is longer than REBI.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

About the Coast Guard......

The Coast Guard has their own enlisted medics known as Health Services Technicians.  They attend the HS school at Petaluma, CA.  At this time the waiting list is about 18 mos.  The Coast Guard gets their docs, dentists and pharmacists from the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.  I have never seen Navy medical personnel in a CG clinic.

The REBI program was for prior service personnel that joined the Coast Guard Reserve.  It has been replaced by a program called DEPOT which is longer than REBI.

Thank you.  I stand corrected.  I'd thought that the USPHS provided care at shore facilities and the Navy at sea...obviously I am incorrect, and some of my information is out of date.

[DogCollar]

UPDATE......

My son scored the highest on the ASVAB among the group that took it yesterday.  The scary thing is that half of this group failed it for the 2nd time!!!  My son said it wasn't difficult at all.

Anyway, the Army recruiter is coming over to the house this afternoon to talk to us as a family.  We have a list of questions to ask and to get clarity on...i.e., college money, getting into medical services, deployability, etc...what are some other topics to ask about?

[SARDOC]

Air Force recruiting has slowed way down.  They truly are picking and choosing these days.  For the most part, most career fields are maxed out.  Even in the Air Guard the positions are limited.  A  year ago you could get a $20K bonus for enlisting into Security Forces in the Guard.  Today, you can't even get in because they're over strength.

Again, the economy and job market.  Military is the best place to be.

Absolutely true, Went with a friend to the joint military recruiting station not too long ago,  Navy Recruiters office....has 6 Recruiters sitting in there waiting for someone to come in, The Marines had Three recruiters, the Army had 7 Recruiters and the Air force had a note on the door stating the one recruiter was here on Thursdays between 2 and 4....make an appointment. 

[vmstan]

Absolutely true, Went with a friend to the joint military recruiting station not too long ago,  Navy Recruiters office....has 6 Recruiters sitting in there waiting for someone to come in, The Marines had Three recruiters, the Army had 7 Recruiters and the Air force had a note on the door stating the one recruiter was here on Thursdays between 2 and 4....make an appointment. 

sounds like something straight out of an edition of "Air Force Blues"

My brother-in-law had a similar experience recently. He decided he wanted to join the Coast Guard, but had some concerns because he had childhood asthma. I told him that he should talk to his doctor and the recruiter. The doctor said he'd be good to go, but then he talked to a recruiter who basically told him they were so close to full that unless you're perfect, don't even bother. He was pretty disappointed.

[DNall]

What is your son trying to accomplish?

If it's money for college, then Army guard is the way to go. The entire military is overstrength given the economy, but Army is still always going to need people more than anyone else. That means bonuses & more college money.

The active duty GI bill is a bit more than is available to guard/reserve, but you won't be getting much if any school done till you complete active duty & get out. The guard/reserve you can go to school full-time while serving part time. You get 4500/yr from the federal govt, plus state benefits. My state gives another 4500, some waive tuition at state schools completely.

If he's going for a longer-term career, he can join ROTC immediately after AIT, keep all his benefits, plus E-5 pay for drill, monthly cadet stipend, and non-deployable till he graduates. And, that still allows him to commission to active duty if he wants.

If he comes back & gets in a medical program, the monthly stipends for that are ridiculously large, on top of all the other benefits.

There's a ton of opportunties out there. He should be looking at a lot of different ones with an open mind.

[Cecil DP]

If your son wants to be a military Physician, the DofD actually has it's own medical school in Bethesda Md. Commissioned as 2Lt as soon as he starts attending and graduates as a CPT and an MD. They commission for all the services including USPHS.

[RADIOMAN015]

UPDATE......

My son scored the highest on the ASVAB among the group that took it yesterday.  The scary thing is that half of this group failed it for the 2nd time!!!  My son said it wasn't difficult at all.

Anyway, the Army recruiter is coming over to the house this afternoon to talk to us as a family.  We have a list of questions to ask and to get clarity on...i.e., college money, getting into medical services, deployability, etc...what are some other topics to ask about?

Perhaps neither  --  So your son, you, and other family members are comfortable that he is going to enter the ARMED forces of US?  Remember a fair amount of service members are getting killed or seriously injured right now --- we are at war!!!  Let me repeat this, regardless of occupation, he is going to be in the ARMED forces of the US, this may subject him to great risk & bodily harm, including death.  Do not take this lightly!!!!

Frankly no one should enter the military to get occupational training.  They should enter the military because they want to serve their country and will be willing to lay down their life if it becomes necessary first, the occupational training may or may not be a factor.   

BTW -- There's scholarship & federal grants available without going into the military.  He can look at going to a junior college/technical college to study emergency medical technician, get in a license practical nurse program,  etc...    You don't need the military for that!! Perhaps two years at a junior college as a civilian would give him a better prespective about the world around him.  At that point if he felt the military was for him, than by all means consider it.

BTW I'm retired military.
RM

   

[DogCollar]

UPDATE......

My son scored the highest on the ASVAB among the group that took it yesterday.  The scary thing is that half of this group failed it for the 2nd time!!!  My son said it wasn't difficult at all.

Anyway, the Army recruiter is coming over to the house this afternoon to talk to us as a family.  We have a list of questions to ask and to get clarity on...i.e., college money, getting into medical services, deployability, etc...what are some other topics to ask about?

Perhaps neither  --  So your son, you, and other family members are comfortable that he is going to enter the ARMED forces of US?  Remember a fair amount of service members are getting killed or seriously injured right now --- we are at war!!!  Let me repeat this, regardless of occupation, he is going to be in the ARMED forces of the US, this may subject him to great risk & bodily harm, including death.  Do not take this lightly!!!!

Frankly no one should enter the military to get occupational training.  They should enter the military because they want to serve their country and will be willing to lay down their life if it becomes necessary first, the occupational training may or may not be a factor.   

BTW -- There's scholarship & federal grants available without going into the military.  He can look at going to a junior college/technical college to study emergency medical technician, get in a license practical nurse program,  etc...    You don't need the military for that!! Perhaps two years at a junior college as a civilian would give him a better prespective about the world around him.  At that point if he felt the military was for him, than by all means consider it.

BTW I'm retired military.
RM

   

Despite my postings that may say otherwise, I am truly not an idiot!  Of course we know the purpose of the military, and of course we know the inherant danger!  Why do you think his mother and I have all the concerns and questions?

I am proud that my son wants to serve in his country's armed forces.  It will be a challenge unlike anyother that he has faced.  The reason we had the recruiter to our house was to sit and discuss with us what a military enlistment of any kind is truly like.  We wanted him away from the flags, the glossy posters, and all the "Army Strong" promotion, to talk about service, deployment, and the dangerous aspects.  We also wanted a general road map laid out before of us of the process of enlisting and what it means.  Again, evidence to the contrary, I don't believe we were being foolish or naive as you indicate.

The recruiter came and we discusssed several subjects.  He seemed to be earnest, honest in answering our questions.  My sons plan (right now) is to go into Army Reserves...receive radiology training...begin college and his reserve commitment. After that, get his degree...and return to Army AD, for Medical School as a Radiologist and make the Army a career. 

We have raised him into a culture and tradition of service to community and nation (that's why I am in CAP), and he sees this as an honorable way to develop himself into a person who can return to the Army, the nation, and the community a life of service.